Director, Quality Assurance

Director of Vendor Quality Assurance We’re looking for people who are excited to drive this transformation, break barriers and think of new ways to adapt, help, and create better experiences for students—and for each other. Our mission is to empower each student to feel confident in their unique journey. You will join a team committed to impact, relationships, and continuous learning. Responsibilities Develop and execute the vendor quality assurance strategy for the organization. Establish and maintain vendor quality standards, policies, and procedures that meet or exceed industry standards and customer expectations. Ensure vendor adherence to collections‑specific regulatory requirements, including appropriate handling of borrower communications and third‑party disclosures. Establish controls to monitor customer interactions, settlement practices, and recovery activities to prevent regulatory violations. Oversee quality review frameworks for call monitoring, correspondence, and account handling activities aligned to risk criteria. Build and lead a team of quality assurance professionals. Develop and implement quality metrics and reporting to measure the effectiveness of quality assurance initiatives. Deliver executive‑level reporting on vendor quality/compliance performance and risk exposure. Work closely with cross‑functional teams to ensure quality practices are implemented across the organization. Drive continuous improvement in quality processes and systems. Identify and address quality issues and risks proactively. Conduct quality audits on‑site at vendor locations to assess performance, compliance, and control effectiveness. Lead end‑to‑end vendor lifecycle governance, including due diligence, onboarding, ongoing monitoring, and termination strategies from a quality/compliance perspective. Partner with the business, Vendor Management Office (VMO), Legal, and Compliance on risk tiering and vendor segmentation. Oversee third‑party due diligence and ongoing monitoring programs to mitigate operational, compliance, reputational, and strategic risk. Provide leadership and guidance to the organization on quality‑related matters. The above information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job; it is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees in this role. Minimum Qualifications Experience in the development and implementation of quality systems and processes. Deep knowledge of third‑party risk frameworks and vendor governance models. Experience overseeing collections, recovery, or debt settlement vendors. Experience with risk‑based quality assurance frameworks and monitoring methodologies. Demonstrated experience managing regulatory exams, audits, or compliance reviews. Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and standards. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Ability to work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams. Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills. Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement in quality processes and systems. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Quality Management, Vendor Oversight). 10+ years of experience in quality assurance, vendor management, and/or compliance/risk, with a minimum of 5 years in a leadership role. Experience building or scaling a first line of defense or oversight function. Advanced degree or relevant certification (e.g., compliance, risk, quality, vendor management). Benefits Competitive base salaries and bonus incentives. Generous PTO, floating holidays, and 12 federal holidays observed. Support for financial‑well‑being and retirement (401(k) with employer match). Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance, and more. Employer‑paid short‑term/long‑term disability and basic life insurance. Flexible hybrid working arrangements. Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs. On‑site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy for locations outside Delaware. Confidential counseling support (EAP), health advocacy services, and wellness program with financial incentives. Tuition reimbursement and family scholarship programs. Career development and training opportunities. The Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination by employers, in compensation and employment opportunities, against qualified individuals with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the “essential functions” of a job. A function may be essential for any of several reasons, including: the job exists to perform that function, the employee holding the job was hired for his/her expertise in performing the function, or only a limited number of employees are available to perform that function. Equal Opportunity Employer Sallie Mae is proud to be an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, gender identity, disability, Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation please call View phone number on click.appcast.io and choose option 9. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations. U.S. Pay Transparency Policy Click here to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy, here for federal job applicant notices, and here to view the California Employee Privacy Notice. #J-18808-Ljbffr